- Thousands of TAFE placements across regional Queensland at risk because of Albanese Labor government's planned cuts.
- Canberra's new Fee-Free funding proposal would leave Queensland $208 million worse off.
- Nearly half of Queensland's Fee-Free placements have been undertaken by regional students.
The Crisafulli Government is fighting for the future of thousands of regional TAFE students whose courses would be jeopardised by the Albanese Labor Government's planned cuts to Queensland's Fee-Free TAFE funding.
Since the start of 2025, more than 10,000 regional Queenslanders have been able to start a Fee-Free TAFE course jointly funded by the Crisafulli Government and the federal Labor Government.
Despite the Crisafulli Government already covering around 70 per cent of the cost of Fee-Free TAFE, the Albanese Labor Government has put forward a proposal which would cut Queensland's funding by $21 million and force the State to cover another $187 million in student fee gap costs which the Commonwealth had previously covered.
The Albanese Labor Government's proposed cuts would put 11,000 Fee-Free courses at risk around the State, meaning thousands of regional Queenslanders could be robbed of the opportunities the scheme currently provides.
The former Labor State Government's skills shortage had a predicted peak the size of an empty Suncorp stadium, which has eased considerably under the Crisafulli Government, which continues to deliver record apprenticeship completions, and the number of Queenslanders starting apprenticeships is soaring.
Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said the Crisafulli Government wasn't supporting a plan which leaves Queenslanders worse off.
"Fee-Free TAFE opens doors for thousands of regional Queenslanders every year and helps create a brighter future for communities across the State," Minister Bates said.
"The Crisafulli Government is doing most of the heavy lifting because we know how important these courses are and I'm asking the Albanese Labor Government not to turn its back on Queensland again."
"We'll keep backing TAFE and we'll keep backing Queenslanders trying to get ahead and it's high time Canberra did the same."
